Feed the Polls Initiative to Provide 50K Free Meals to Voters Waiting at Polls on Election Day
[Sept. 30, 2020: Benjamin VanHoose]
The new Feed the Polls initiative is making sure food insecurity isn't a factor preventing Americans from casting their vote on Election Day.
A partnership between the nonprofit organization Migrant Kitchen, The Infatuation and Zagat, the program is setting out to offer free, healthy meals to people waiting in line at the polls on Nov. 3.
According to Feeding America, approximately 54 million people will experience food insecurity this year — that's 1 in 6 Americans. "Food insecurity should never prevent someone from voting," the Feed the Polls organizers attest.
"Between COVID-19 and years-long efforts to disenfranchise low income and minority voters, polling lines in November are expected to be longer than ever before. Early voting across the country has already proven that to be true," the initiative writes on its website.
Feed the Polls aims to distribute and serve 50,000 meals at polling places across the county — particularly in those communities where voter suppression and voter intimidation are issues.
Each meal, according to the organization, will cost up to $10 to make when all is said and done, and planners are seeking donations and volunteers to help pull off their goals.
"We will be needing volunteers to distribute meals, work in kitchens, organize fundraising, and to help get the word out around the country," reads their site. "Fill out our form if you are an individual who would like to get involved [and] one of our organizers will be in touch."
On Instagram, Chris Stang, co-founder of The Infatuation and CEO of The Infatuation/Zagat, said that the team wants to remove hunger concerns from voters' plans on Election Day.
"We know voting lines are going to be long and we know food insecurity is a bigger problem in this country than it’s ever been," wrote Stang. "So we’re partnering with @themigrantkitchen to try and make sure that people can wait to exercise their constitutional right without worrying about a meal. Hit the link in bio for more info on how to help. #feedthepolls"
This Brighter Side of News post courtesy of People.
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